{UAH} Turkey's air force hits IS and PKK in Syria and Iraq
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Comrade Robukui,
The Erdgowan government in Turkey is increasingly caught between a
rock and a hard place. It has been a supporter of ISIS against the
strategic demands of NATO and his western allies, and now wants to
attack the Kurds who are strategically allied to the west and to the
USA efforts against ISIS in the region.
Turkey's air force hits IS and PKK in Syria and Iraq
26 July 2015From the section EuropeTurkey's air force has attacked
Islamic State (IS) positions in Syria and Kurdish PKK militants in
northern Iraq to defend the country's security, Turkish PM Ahmet
Davutoglu says.
Mr Davutoglu added that 590 suspected IS and PKK members had been arrested.
This follows a week which saw a bomb attack blamed on IS kill 32
people in the Turkish town of Suruc.
Subsequent clashes with IS fighters on the Turkey-Syria border led to
the death of a Turkish soldier.
The PKK's military wing said it had killed two Turkish police officers
on Wednesday, claiming they had collaborated with IS in the bombing in
Suruc, which targeted left-wing activists.
US White House spokesman Alistair Baskey said Turkey had the right to
defend itself against terrorist attacks by Kurdish rebels and urged
the PKK to renounce terrorism.
But he said that Ankara should also avoid violence towards the PKK and
seek to de-escalate the conflict.
Analysis: Mark Lowen, BBC Turkey correspondent
Within a week, Turkey has gone from reluctant observer of the
coalition against IS to military strikes, opening up its bases to
warplanes and bombing of PKK positions. What changed?
Partly it's months of negotiations between Washington and Ankara.
General John Allen, the US envoy for the anti-IS coalition, has paid
several visits here to twist arms. The Turkish government pushed for a
no-fly area to be implemented inside Syria. It appears Washington gave
some ground, accepting a "buffer zone" to clear IS militants from
close to the Turkish border, patrolled by US and Turkish warplanes.
The suicide bomb last week in Suruc, which killed 32 people and was
blamed on IS, was a catalyst.
But it seems Turkey insisted that strikes against IS go hand-in-hand
with those against the PKK. That complicates matters: the coalition is
working with Kurdish forces against IS and a fragile ceasefire with
the PKK may now end, raising fears of renewed Kurdish violence in
Turkey. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has one eye on possible new
elections in the autumn, hoping to court nationalist voters. A hard
line against the PKK would help that.
Turkey's dangerous game
Profile: The PKK
A government statement on Saturday morning said the air force had hit
PKK shelters, bunkers, storage facilities and other "logistic points"
in northern Iraq, including the Qandil mountains where the PKK's high
command is based.
It did not give details of what the jets had targeted in their attacks
on IS in Syria.
Turkey's military had also shelled Islamic State and PKK positions
from across the Turkish border, the statement said.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Prime Minister Davutoglu said:
"Unfortunately Turkey is surrounded by a ring of fire.
"In such an atmosphere, Turkey tries to keep her democracy and
development alive... these operations have carried a message to the
countries in the region and to international circles: whatever happens
in Syria and Iraq, in our border regions, we will not allow them to
threaten Turkey's security and will not hesitate to take necessary
measures."
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said areas of northern Syria
cleared of IS fighters would become natural "safe zones".
Turkey has also said it will let the US use a key airbase to attack IS targets.
Separately the Turkish authorities have banned a peace march due to
take place in Istanbul on Sunday, expressing concern about possible
"provocative action" and "dense traffic".
'Truce has no meaning'
The overnight air strikes in northern Iraq were the first time Turkey
had attacked the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) since a 2013 truce.
The group has been fighting Turkey for an autonomous homeland for the
Kurds for decades.
In a statement on its website quoted by Reuters news agency, the PKK
said: "The truce has no meaning any more after these intense air
strikes by the occupant Turkish army."
The Turkish government has faced criticism at home and abroad for not
doing enough against IS, despite being part of the international
coalition fighting it.
The first round of anti-IS air strikes on Friday marked the first time
Turkey had confirmed air strikes against targets in Syria since IS
began its advance through Iraq and Syria in 2013.
The agreement to let the US use the Incirlik airbase, following months
of negotiations, was made in a phone call between President Barack
Obama and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan - but has yet to be
approved by the Turkish cabinet.
It could allow the US to step up air strikes against IS, as it is
closer to northern Syria and Iraq than the Gulf, which currently
serves as a launch-pad for bombing missions.
A return to Incirlik
The US military is more than familiar with the southern Turkish base,
and its recent history is tied closely with recent US military
operations.
■During the first war against Iraq in 1990, US planes were stationed at the base
■Humanitarian operations for Kurdish refugees flew out of Incirlik after the war
■The base also served as the main hub for operations at the start of
the war in Afghanistan in 2001
■It acted as the first stop on the way home for thousands of US troops
leaving Iraq after the 2003 invasion
■Wikileaks claimed the US and Turkey allowed the base to be used to
launch rendition flights for terror suspects
What is your reaction to the Syrian air strikes and the raids in
Turkey? Are you nearby? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your
story.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC
journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways:
■Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk
■Whatsapp: +44 7525 900971
■Send pictures/video to yourpics@bbc.co.uk
■Or upload your pictures/video here
■Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay
■Send an SMS or MMS to 61124 or +44 7624 800 100
Or use the form below
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The Erdgowan government in Turkey is increasingly caught between a
rock and a hard place. It has been a supporter of ISIS against the
strategic demands of NATO and his western allies, and now wants to
attack the Kurds who are strategically allied to the west and to the
USA efforts against ISIS in the region.
Turkey's air force hits IS and PKK in Syria and Iraq
26 July 2015From the section EuropeTurkey's air force has attacked
Islamic State (IS) positions in Syria and Kurdish PKK militants in
northern Iraq to defend the country's security, Turkish PM Ahmet
Davutoglu says.
Mr Davutoglu added that 590 suspected IS and PKK members had been arrested.
This follows a week which saw a bomb attack blamed on IS kill 32
people in the Turkish town of Suruc.
Subsequent clashes with IS fighters on the Turkey-Syria border led to
the death of a Turkish soldier.
The PKK's military wing said it had killed two Turkish police officers
on Wednesday, claiming they had collaborated with IS in the bombing in
Suruc, which targeted left-wing activists.
US White House spokesman Alistair Baskey said Turkey had the right to
defend itself against terrorist attacks by Kurdish rebels and urged
the PKK to renounce terrorism.
But he said that Ankara should also avoid violence towards the PKK and
seek to de-escalate the conflict.
Analysis: Mark Lowen, BBC Turkey correspondent
Within a week, Turkey has gone from reluctant observer of the
coalition against IS to military strikes, opening up its bases to
warplanes and bombing of PKK positions. What changed?
Partly it's months of negotiations between Washington and Ankara.
General John Allen, the US envoy for the anti-IS coalition, has paid
several visits here to twist arms. The Turkish government pushed for a
no-fly area to be implemented inside Syria. It appears Washington gave
some ground, accepting a "buffer zone" to clear IS militants from
close to the Turkish border, patrolled by US and Turkish warplanes.
The suicide bomb last week in Suruc, which killed 32 people and was
blamed on IS, was a catalyst.
But it seems Turkey insisted that strikes against IS go hand-in-hand
with those against the PKK. That complicates matters: the coalition is
working with Kurdish forces against IS and a fragile ceasefire with
the PKK may now end, raising fears of renewed Kurdish violence in
Turkey. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has one eye on possible new
elections in the autumn, hoping to court nationalist voters. A hard
line against the PKK would help that.
Turkey's dangerous game
Profile: The PKK
A government statement on Saturday morning said the air force had hit
PKK shelters, bunkers, storage facilities and other "logistic points"
in northern Iraq, including the Qandil mountains where the PKK's high
command is based.
It did not give details of what the jets had targeted in their attacks
on IS in Syria.
Turkey's military had also shelled Islamic State and PKK positions
from across the Turkish border, the statement said.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Prime Minister Davutoglu said:
"Unfortunately Turkey is surrounded by a ring of fire.
"In such an atmosphere, Turkey tries to keep her democracy and
development alive... these operations have carried a message to the
countries in the region and to international circles: whatever happens
in Syria and Iraq, in our border regions, we will not allow them to
threaten Turkey's security and will not hesitate to take necessary
measures."
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said areas of northern Syria
cleared of IS fighters would become natural "safe zones".
Turkey has also said it will let the US use a key airbase to attack IS targets.
Separately the Turkish authorities have banned a peace march due to
take place in Istanbul on Sunday, expressing concern about possible
"provocative action" and "dense traffic".
'Truce has no meaning'
The overnight air strikes in northern Iraq were the first time Turkey
had attacked the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) since a 2013 truce.
The group has been fighting Turkey for an autonomous homeland for the
Kurds for decades.
In a statement on its website quoted by Reuters news agency, the PKK
said: "The truce has no meaning any more after these intense air
strikes by the occupant Turkish army."
The Turkish government has faced criticism at home and abroad for not
doing enough against IS, despite being part of the international
coalition fighting it.
The first round of anti-IS air strikes on Friday marked the first time
Turkey had confirmed air strikes against targets in Syria since IS
began its advance through Iraq and Syria in 2013.
The agreement to let the US use the Incirlik airbase, following months
of negotiations, was made in a phone call between President Barack
Obama and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan - but has yet to be
approved by the Turkish cabinet.
It could allow the US to step up air strikes against IS, as it is
closer to northern Syria and Iraq than the Gulf, which currently
serves as a launch-pad for bombing missions.
A return to Incirlik
The US military is more than familiar with the southern Turkish base,
and its recent history is tied closely with recent US military
operations.
■During the first war against Iraq in 1990, US planes were stationed at the base
■Humanitarian operations for Kurdish refugees flew out of Incirlik after the war
■The base also served as the main hub for operations at the start of
the war in Afghanistan in 2001
■It acted as the first stop on the way home for thousands of US troops
leaving Iraq after the 2003 invasion
■Wikileaks claimed the US and Turkey allowed the base to be used to
launch rendition flights for terror suspects
What is your reaction to the Syrian air strikes and the raids in
Turkey? Are you nearby? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your
story.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC
journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways:
■Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk
■Whatsapp: +44 7525 900971
■Send pictures/video to yourpics@bbc.co.uk
■Or upload your pictures/video here
■Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay
■Send an SMS or MMS to 61124 or +44 7624 800 100
Or use the form below
Required field
Your contact details:
Name (optional)
Your E-mail address (required)
Town & Country (optional)
Your telephone number (optional)
Comments (required)
If you are happy to be contacted by a BBC journalist please leave a
telephone number that we can contact you on. In some cases a selection
of your comments will be published, displaying your name as you
provide it and location, unless you state otherwise. Your contact
details will never be published. When sending us pictures, video or
eyewitness accounts at no time should you endanger yourself or others,
take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. Please ensure you
have read the terms and conditions.
Terms and conditions
Share this story About sharing
--
Disclaimer:Everyone posting to this Forum bears the sole responsibility for any legal consequences of his or her postings, and hence statements and facts must be presented responsibly. Your continued membership signifies that you agree to this disclaimer and pledge to abide by our Rules and Guidelines.To unsubscribe from this group, send email to: ugandans-at-heart+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com or Abbey Semuwemba at: abbeysemuwemba@gmail.com.
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